Comic Con 2012: Marvel Announces Slate of New Titles

Guardians of the Galaxy confirmed, Edgar Wright's Ant-Man screens test footage and exciting new titles announced for upcoming sequels.

If you were one of the lucky few… thousands… who got into the illustrious Hall H on Saturday, Comic Con 2012 had a special treat for you. Marvel Studios, back after a frustrating break from the convention in 2011, teased several exciting new projects including the previously rumored Guardians of the Galaxy and, finally, Edgar Wright's Ant-Man, which had been stuck in development hell for over five years. Images courtesy of Marvel.com and, in the concept art above (click for full image and higher resolution), artist Charlie Wen.

Marvel also announced the titles for its slate of sequels, which unlike the Iron Man movies, will largely use subtitles instead of numerics. Instead of Thor 2, the sequel to the blockbuster will be titled Thor: The Dark World, and will be released on November 8, 2013.

More importantly, or at least more evocatively, Captain America 2 will instead be called Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

This particular title doesn't just give us the name of a movie, it also confirms that the antagonist of Captain America's second big screen solo Avenger will indeed be a character from his past. In the comics, The Winter Soldier was none other than the protagonist's old World War II ally Bucky Barnes, reanimated as a deadly soldier with no knowledge of his heroic past. We particularly like how it gives weight to the villain's role in the narrative. It would be like naming a Man of Steel sequel, Man of Steel: Darkseid. Sends chills up the spine if you know who that is.

Then of course there's Iron Man 3, which will be called Iron Man 3. Perhaps for consistency's sake? Pity, since Iron Man: The Armor Wars or Iron Man: Extremis seem like much more dramatic titles to use instead.

Edgar Wright's Ant-Man has no release date yet, but is at least finally en route. Details to come, we presume, sooner than later.